They weren't the only so-called dignitaries scheduled to be in the house Wednesday night to catch the Boston Bruins play the Vancouver Canucks in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup final at TD Garden.

Indeed, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, a hockey fan, was flying to Boston to be at the TD Garden to watch the game and, presumably, cheer on the Canucks in their quest to become the first Canadian-based team to win the Cup since Patrick Roy's 1993 Montreal Canadiens.

Interestingly, while some observers have labelled the Canucks "Canada's team," there are more Canadian-born players on the Bruins.

Laying down the law

As expected, league officials spoke to both teams about cutting out the "crap" and "garbage" that has been going on after the whistle during stoppages in play in this series.

"We were told they are going to start calling penalties when that stuff starts happening," Bruins pest Brad Marchand said.

Over in the Canucks dressing room, the controversial Alex Burrows also acknowledged that the players had been warned. It was his biting of Patrice Bergeron's glove during a stoppage in Game 1 that produced Bite-Gate and spawned all sorts of post-whistle shenanigans.

Shuffling the deck

Canucks coach Alain Vigneault said there was a good chance that Keith Ballard would get the call to replace the suspended Aaron Rome on the Vancouver blue line for Game 4.

Meanwhile, rookie Tyler Seguin was installed back into the Bruins lineup after being banished to the press box for Game 3. The Bruins will be looking to squeeze some much-needed offence out of Seguin, especially with Nathan Horton lost for the series with a severe concussion.

"I wasn't happy with how I played the last game in Vancouver," said Seguin, the second-overall draft pick in 2010.

"I can't say I was shocked (to be scratched). You're always mad (at yourself) when something like that happens, but now is my opportunity. I have to make the most of it."

Slogging through slush

With temperatures in Boston hovering near 30C on Wednesday, there were concerns the ice might turn into slush.

But both Marchand and Bruins coach Claude Julien said the conditions were not too bad during the morning skate.

"I was flying out there," Julien said, igniting laughter from the room of reporters.

Savvy's back

Bruins forward Marc Savard, who was shut down from playing back in February after suffering his second concussion in 11 months, was slated to be at Game 4 Monday. Count on the joint erupting in cheers if he is shown on the centre ice video board.